Families of nursing home victims are calling for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) over his alleged role in downplaying COVID deaths. Recently uncovered emails and documents suggest Cuomo personally edited a report in 2020 that understated the nursing home death toll.
The families, represented by Peter Arbeeny, Vivian Zayas, and Janice Dean, sent a letter to the DOJ, pushing for charges if it is found that Cuomo lied to Congress. They argue that Cuomo must face consequences for misleading the public and downplaying the scale of the tragedy in New York’s nursing homes. “The public deserves to know that no one is above the law,” the letter reads.
Emails from Cuomo’s assistant show that the then-governor made edits to the New York State Department of Health report. One email from June 2020 stated, “Governor’s edits are attached,” suggesting that Cuomo made changes to soften the report’s findings, particularly regarding community spread among nursing home staff.
Vivian Zayas, who lost her mother to COVID in a nursing home, said, “If he lied to Congress, he committed a crime.” Zayas co-founded Voice for Seniors, a group dedicated to holding Cuomo accountable for the nursing home deaths during the pandemic.
Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi dismissed the accusations, calling them “absurd” and saying that Cuomo followed the CDC’s guidance. However, Democratic politicians like Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-NY) are backing the families, calling for a full investigation into Cuomo’s actions.
